Media distribution server that presents interactive media to a mobile device and to a browser

ABSTRACT

A media distribution server presenting interactive media on mobile devices and receives mobile user response interactively. During the presentation of interactive media the user is prompted with multiple choices for their selection, which can be provided using softkeys on the mobile device. The media distribution server prepares the subsequent portions of the interactive media and delivers them to the mobile device. In one embodiment, the necessary text, graphics, audio and video are assembled and integrated dynamically and is presented on the mobile device to the user. Further the mobile user is prompted to approve online purchases, make online appointment requests, show interest in products, etc. while browsing the interactive media on their mobile device. The media distribution server supports such activities as necessary.

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present patent application is a continuation of, claims priority to,and makes reference to U.S. non-provisional patent Ser. No. 13/075,144,entitled “MEDIA DISTRIBUTION SERVER THAT PRESENTS INTERACTIVE MEDIA TO AMOBILE DEVICE”, filed on Mar. 29, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,078,096. Thecomplete subject matter of the above-referenced United States PatentApplication is hereby incorporated herein by reference, in its entirety.

The present patent application is makes reference to U.S.non-provisional patent Ser. No. 11/821,771, entitled “SYSTEM FORPROVIDING INTERACTIVE USER INTEREST SURVEY TO USER OF MOBILE DEVICE”,filed on Jun. 25, 2007. The complete subject matter of theabove-referenced United States Patent Application is hereby incorporatedherein by reference, in its entirety.

This patent application makes reference to U.S. provisional patent Ser.No. 60/860,700, entitled “AUDIO GUIDED SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING GUIDANCE TOUSER OF MOBILE DEVICE ON MULTI-STEP ACTIVITIES”, filed on Nov. 22, 2006.The complete subject matter of the above-referenced United States PatentApplication is hereby incorporated herein by reference, in its entirety.

This patent application makes reference to U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 60/524,568, entitled “QUESTIONNAIRE NETWORK FORMOBILE HANDSETS,” filed on Nov. 24, 2003. The complete subject matter ofthe above-referenced United States Provisional Patent Application ishereby incorporated herein by reference, in its entirety.

This patent application makes reference to U.S. patent application Ser.No. 10/985,702, entitled “QUESTIONNAIRE NETWORK FOR MOBILE HANDSETS,”filed on Nov. 10, 2004. The complete subject matter of theabove-referenced United States Patent Application is hereby incorporatedherein by reference, in its entirety.

This patent application makes reference to U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 60/530,175, entitled “QUESTIONNAIRE NETWORK FORMOBILE HANDSETS AND A TRADING SYSTEM FOR CONTRACTS ON USER COMMITMENTSTO ANSWER QUESTIONNAIRES,” filed on Dec. 17, 2003. The complete subjectmatter of the above-referenced United States Provisional PatentApplication is hereby incorporated herein by reference, in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to a server facilitating thedelivery of interactive media to mobile devices and more particularly toa server that delivers interactive content as part of a customizedservice to a mobile device user.

2. Related Art

Current mobile device service networks do not provide easy to useservices to users of mobile devices. They also have infrastructure thatis rigid wherein it is not easy to create and deploy new solutions.However, the use of mobile devices has become ubiquitous and can beencountered in all walks of life. This is made possible due the widecoverage provided by wireless networks. Such a wireless network can bevaluable but is underutilized due to lack of several key technologies,in addition to lack of standard interface and communication protocols.Mobile devices are typically used for voice calls and data access overwireless networks. However, there are very limited uses to which atypical user employs his mobile device, such as voice calls and emailaccess.

Currently mobile devices do not support interactive media effectively. Amicro browser available in some mobile devices makes it possible toenter a URL and retrieve a web page. Some Internet websites can beaccessed using the browser in some mobile devices. Unfortunately, newforms of interactive media are not supported in most mobiledevices—these include questionnaires, audio-assisted activities, etc.

Normally, advertisements are provided on televisions (TVs) andnewspapers. Often they are not interactive in the sense that the usercan view them but cannot do much with these forms of advertisements.Advertisements provided as video clips that are easy to run ontelevision (TV) and computers have been known for a while. However,these are not communicated to mobile devices typically. Some rudimentaryforms of advertisements, in the form of text based SMS messages havebeen recently available. Mobile devices are currently confined to suchlimited text based advertisements. Mobile devices with poor displayresolution are not effective in presenting large forms of media. Ads inthe form of movies and video clips, shown in movies and on TV are notpossible on mobile devices due to technical as well as usabilityreasons.

Current media distribution servers have no control over the media oncedelivered to its clients. They often deliver some form of text or awebpage to a mobile device. Some media distribution servers providesongs for download. Others provide movies for download. Client devicesrun some small programs such a an MP3 player or a video player toreceive the songs or movies and play them on the mobile device. Abrowser in a mobile device may have a plug-in for a MP3 player or avideo plugin and may be able to play songs and movies when downloaded bya user who uses the browser.

Present media distribution servers are not customized to deliverinteractive media on the mobile devices to provide uniform servicesacross the entire mobile user community due to the wide difference inthe mobile device hardware architecture. Thus the current mediadistribution server often cannot compensate for the inherent limitationof mobile device architecture. For example quite a few types ofmass-market mobile devices cannot store large plug-ins and processmovies and longtime video/audio clips (at the required display framerate) unlike personnel or laptop computers. This is due to smallstorage, small system memory and relatively less powerful processingcircuitry on the mobile devices. This requires a different approach tobe accomplished by media distribution server in delivering image oraudio/video clips on mobile devices. It also makes it necessary todevelop new technologies for supporting interactive media on mobiledevices.

Handheld devices like mobile phones have a small display that needs tobe taken into account when developing new interactive media solutionsand in designing new media distribution servers. Because displayingadequate text in the interactive media on such small displays is notpossible to describe complex products or services. In this scenario anew method of interactive media delivery is imperative. In this contextthe current media distribution servers such as those that deliver songsand movies to a mobile device are not implemented to complement thedynamic requirements of media delivery based on the instantaneous inputsfrom different entities on the network.

The architecture of the mobile devices varies widely in terms theirinterface with the internet and its components such as servers, standardinternet communication protocols, etc. The architecture of the mobileservices do not fall strictly in the realm of any standards, and thusare more of proprietary in nature. Thus we see a wide range of mobileproduct in terms of their functionalities and capabilities. It becomesmore challenging to deliver any interactive media on such a vast varietyof architecturally differing mobile clients. Current media distributionservers are inadequate in providing the interactive media deliveryservices over such a nonstandard (in media types and content deliverymeans) and architecturally divergent mobile device base.

Currently media distribution server incapable of delivering new servicessuch as those needed to conduct e-business. New types of e-business arelikely to proliferate in the near future are likely to provide servicesto a user over a mobile device. Media distribution servers areinadequate in addressing the needs of such new e-businesses.

Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditionalapproaches will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the artthrough comparison of such systems with the present invention.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to apparatus and methods of operationthat are further described in the following Brief Description of theDrawings, the Detailed Description of the Invention, and the claims.Other features and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following detailed description of the invention madewith reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective block diagram of the network containing a mediadistribution server, mobile device and service and content providersystem, in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an interactive media database in accordancewith the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective block diagram of a product and servicedescription module, in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a network that operates a mediadistribution server that interacts with a service provider system, acontent provider system and a mobile device in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 5 (a)-(d) are exemplary screens on a mobile device displayedsuccessively to a mobile user, the associated content being delivered bya media distribution server, the exemplary screens facilitating requestfor a product sample, a product trial, a purchase order for a product,etc;

FIG. 6 is an interaction flow diagram describing an exemplary handshakebetween a mobile device, a media distribution server and a serviceprovider system;

FIG. 7 is an interaction diagram describing an exemplary handshakeduring an online appointment scheduling interaction between a mediadistribution server, a service provider system and a mobile device inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart for the action performed by the media distributionserver during the delivery of an interactive media to the mobile device,wherein the mobile device comprises a client capable of displaying theinteractive media, in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 9 is a flowchart for actions performed by workflow manager of amedia distribution server, in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The number of mobile device users is growing day by day and the mobiledevice is becoming a very important personal device through whichdifferent kinds of information can be accessed by a user. An enterpriseor a service provider, using the present invention, can provideinteractive media to a mobile device user easily, when it is convenientto the user. Distributing interactive media to mobile devices makes theaccess of such information by mobile users more convenient, useful andtimely. For example, it is possible to propagate information on newevents and products, etc. In addition, employing the present invention,content and information associated with services provided by E-business(Electronic business) can be distributed to mobile device users, whichadds a new dimension to access of data and services via a mobile device.A network involving the mobile devices is far more effective andefficient in distributing interactive media compared to Internet, whichcan only reach information to relatively small cross section of thepeople, especially in countries where Internet coverage or access islimited or expensive.

FIG. 1 is a perspective block diagram of the network 101 containing amedia distribution server, mobile device and service and contentprovider system, in accordance with the present invention. Advancementin the web based technology have made distributing the interactive mediaover mobile devices 109 an attractive means of communicating thee-business interactions and contents to a user of a mobile device 109,in accordance with the present invention. Accordingly the interactivemedia that is to be distributed to the mobile device 109 can bepreprocessed on a central server and then distributed to the mobilesdevice 109 in a more efficient manner. This approach helps incircumventing the issue of limited resources (storage, system memory,processor, etc.) on the mobile device 109.

In the present invention, the interactive media can be eitherpre-created by a service provider and distributed or generateddynamically to be customized and distributed. For example, theinformation required to generate the interactive media is gathered onthe fly through interaction with service or content providers and couldbe influenced by information provided by the mobile device 109 user. Theservice and content providers share their product (or service)information with the media distribution server 119, and the mobiledevice 109 users respond to data provided which generates additionalinputs from the user. For example, a mobile device user provides inputby way of selecting from the multiple choices and options provided inthe screens of a client application, such user input from the screensfurther guiding the media distribution server to generate and deliveradditional (such as the next) interactive media screen, in accordancewith the present invention.

In particular, the media distribution server 119 receives interactivemedia, such as questionnaires, interest indicator surveys,audio-assisted guided activities, adhoc questionnaires, etc. and insertsone or more advertisements into it, before delivery to one or moremobile users on their mobile device 109. In one related embodiment, theinserted advertisements are tailored to a user's profile and user'sinterests and recent purchases. In another embodiment, it is associatedwith or related to a product or service regarded as the subject matterof the interactive media, such as an advertisement for a network routerthat is determined to be related to a questionnaire on access pointsfrom a company in the network equipment industry. The media distributionserver 119 also selectively provides metadata or configuration alongwith the interactive media delivered, that indicates to a mobile device109 or to actually a client capable of displaying the interactive mediathe need to play an advertisement before, during or after the display ofthe interactive media.

Another important feature of the media distribution server 119, inaccordance with the present invention, is the solicitation of a userresponse employing menu items presented or a multiple choice presentedin the interactive media, and the interactions with external systembased upon responses received. For example, the user of an interactivemedia is presented with a multiple choice selection that comprises “makeand appointment” item, and when selected by a user, the mediadistribution server 119 acts upon the user response and communicates theuser response to a service provider to trigger appointment generation.It also, if necessary, forwards an appointment information back to theuser via the mobile device 109. Similarly, purchase requests made by auser by selecting a “make a purchase” multiple choice selection on themobile device 109 is received by the media distribution server 119 andan interaction with an external system, such as the service providersystem or a billing system is initiated, and optionally, an invoice issent back to the mobile device 109 to solicit user review and userapproval, often with the need for the user to enter a PIN code or asecurity code as part of the approval and user authentication process.

The media distribution server 119 comprises a module called product andservice description module which is guided by the inputs furnished bythe service or the content providers and the mobile device users togenerate the next portion of interactive media or a new item (displayedon a screen of the mobile device 109) of interactive media on the mobiledevice 109 display. The selection made by the users are in the form ofmultiple choice and option buttons which is communicated to the mediadistribution server 119 which then, in response delivers a nextinteractive media (or the next portion of the current one) in a nextscreen with perhaps a next set of choices and options. Thus, a user ofthe mobile device 109 participates in the interaction to guide theinteractive media generation using a joystick, softkeys, and thekeyboard (limiting the use of the keyboard is one of the goals) asappropriate on his mobile device.

In one exemplary delivery of an interactive media to the mobile device109, at the beginning, the media distribution server 119 presents a listof interactive media for display to the user of the mobile device 109 ona welcome screen. The user then selects one of the interactive mediafrom the list using the joystick o the mobile device 109 or softkeys. Inresponse to this user selection the media distribution server 119presents the selected interactive media. Thus the user obtains anupdated display with the new interactive media selected which comprisesa corresponding new set of option buttons and multiple choices, etc.Then the user continues to guide the dynamic interactive mediageneration selecting a specific option button, in response to which themobile device receives next portion of the current interactive media ora new one altogether, and so on. Each of the screens presented to theuser comprises come of the softkey (or button) selections: “start”,“info”, “suppl. (for supplementary) info”, “next”, “prev” (forprevious), “print”, “done”, “exit”, “forward”, “select”, etc. On anyscreen, as appropriate, the user can select the “exit” button to exitfrom the current interactive media taking the user back to the welcomescreen on which interactive media list is presented again, or a “done”button to successfully finish an operation, or to quit and go back tothe power-on screen.

The modules comprised by the media distribution server 119 facilitateall the functions necessary to promote e-business interactions andbusiness information flows designed by the service providers. They makeit possible for a service provider to interact with the mobile device109 and provide e-business services (sometimes referred to as m-businessservices, which stands for mobile business services). They also enable auser of the mobile device to conduct mobile transactions with theservice providers, such as request a service, request a specific contentfrom a content provider, or to accomplish a particular task for e.g. anonline purchase. The media distribution server 119 of present inventionalso comprises an interactive media database 131 and a transactiondatabase 151 that support such transactions, business information flowsand content distribution. The interactive media database 131 comprisesall the new and old interactive media that are to be distributed andthose that were already distributed in the past, respectively. Thetransaction database 151 comprises all the information relevant to thetransactions that are completed. The transactions in that databasecomprise those items that are sold online, and also those items forwhich a trial product may be requested or a sample product may bedelivered.

The product trial information managed by a product trail manager 139comprises information such as a trial period, a start of trial, an endperiod of the trial, conditions stipulated for the trial period, etc. Abilling and shipping database 155 comprises a billing address and ashipping address for mobile users, especially for those who haveconducted sales transactions using their mobile devices 109.Furthermore, the billing and shipping database also contains informationon whether the marketing company (service providers and contentproviders companies) has shipped the product to a buyer's contactaddress.

The media distribution server 119 of the present invention alsocomprises a user targeting module 153 and an E-mail service module 127.The user targeting module 153 gathers browsing interest and habitrelated history of mobile user which helps communicating relevant typeof interactive media to him/her. The E-mail service module receives theE-mail address part of the user response when the contact details arefurnished by the user and delivers E-mails on important transactionssuch as purchase, appointment, product trial details, licenses,acknowledgement, user confirmation, etc.

The “mobile device-service and content provider coordinator module” 121(coordinator module in short) of the media distribution server 119coordinates the exchange of messages and controls information flowbetween the mobile devices 119 and a service provider system 115 or acontent provider systems 117. As the interaction between two entities(such as system, server, client device, etc.) takes place in a handshakemode; it always proceeds with a response from one entity (say entity-1)in one direction to another entity (say entity-2). It coordinatesdelivery of a response by a recipient entity in the opposite direction(that is from entity-2 to entity-1) to accomplish an action and a seriesof such actions will constitute a task. For example, responses will beappropriately relayed or forwarded in either direction by thecoordinator module 119.

A busy schedule manager 137 performs scheduling management, i.e. theexchange of message and control information regarding availability andscheduled tasks, between two entities on the network, such as by sensingthe traffic conditions and information delivery expectations. Theinteraction between the media distribution server 119 and the mobiledevice 109 or the media distribution server 119 and the service 115 orthe content provider system 117 sometimes requires a tracking andscheduling mechanism which is performed by the busy schedule manager137.

A product trial manager 139 in the media distribution server 119 keepstrack of the details of the sample/trial requests made by the mobiledevice 109 user. The product trial manager 139 assists by prompting auser, on behalf of (or as instructed) the service 115 or contentsprovider system 117 for a sample product delivery or a trial periodestablishment with accompanying product delivery. It also keeps track ofthe trial duration and user feedback during the trial period for furtherfollow up actions.

A product and services description module 141 and a dynamic mediadevelopment module 143 in the media distribution server 119 collaborateto generate the interactive media (or content in general) that isdynamically created and delivered to the mobile user. This collaborationoccurs using the inputs provided by the mobile device users and theinformation provided by the service or the content providers. Theproduct and the service description module 141 have a genericdescription of the interactive media that describes a product or aservice that is accessed (or consumed) by the mobile device 109 users.In one embodiment, a generic form of interactive media isassembled/constructed and maintained in a library. The dynamic mediadevelopment module 141 receives inputs from the mobile device users andthe service or the content providers and customizes the genericinteractive media, and subsequently delivers them to the mobile users.Furthermore, in a related embodiment, the dynamic media developmentmodule 141 queues up new interactive media into the “interactive mediadatabase” for the subsequent delivery to the mobile device.

A workflow manager 145 plays a role of setting up information flow asper a pre-defined work flow. It also establishes reporting tasks,billing tasks, and backup and restore activities, communication links,as necessary. It receives inputs from different entities and respondsappropriately. It prompts an entity (for e.g. a mobile device) with aquery and receives its response, and (for example) as per a work flow,forwards it to a service provider system 115 or a content providersystem 117.

In accordance with the present invention, the interactive media is anXML document comprising multiple items, wherein each of the multipleitems comprises a text, graphics, audio segments, and or video clips.Each of the multiple items may comprise a multiple choice set that isdisplayed to a user to solicit user response. User response can also bein the form of a recorded message (digitally recorded by the mobiledevice 109). User responses collated by the mobile device 109, inselections from a multiple choice set for the multiple items, and/or inthe form of audio response to those items is communicated by the mobiledevice 109 to the media distribution server 119.

In accordance with the present invention, in one embodiment, a taggedmessage in the a first piece of delivered code (say, in a webprogramming language) is communicated to the mobile device 109 and thisfirst piece of code comprises a second piece of code, such as a scriptor a program, which selectively executes on the mobile device after ithas been delivered. When this second piece of code runs on the mobiledevice, it collects some details of user interaction (and otherassociated information) and sends it back, as a response from the mobiledevice, to the media distribution server 119. In a related embodiment,the first piece of code is an XML based document comprising theinteractive media and the second piece of code is an executable codethat collects user responses and communicates it to the mediadistribution server 119.

Similarly, the media distribution server 119 also sends code in theinteractive media along with control information or configurationinformation to the mobile device, gathers responses, and communicatesthem to the service provider system 115 or the content provider system117.

In one embodiment, the media distribution server 119 also sends codealong with responses to the service provider system 115 or the contentprovider system 117. The code that's sent by the media distributionserver 119 running on the service or the content provider system 115,117 collects all the interaction information and sends back to the mediadistribution server 119.

In one embodiment, the media distribution server 119 delivers code tothe mobile device that determines what is displayed to the user (saywithin a current screen) and the multiple choice options presented. Theresponse to the options selected by the user of the mobile device 109(from the screen) flows back to the media distribution server 119 ascontrol information which helps in preparing a next screen ofinformation or in the assembly or generation of a new piece of code tobe delivered next. For example, the code delivered to the mobile device109 contains a message that will appear verbatim along with some taggedobjects on the screen for e.g. text in the option button and themultiple choice selections. The user response subsequently collectedfrom the mobile device 109 contains the control information which makesthe media distribution server 119 perform a next task (decide on nextcourse of action) for e.g. delivering additional code that ends upcreating a next screen on the mobile device 109 that contains newinformation and user selectable options.

A webserver calendar module 147 facilitates processing of onlineappointment requests made by a mobile device 109 user and distributionof appointment information communicated by a service provider system 115to the user of the mobile device 109. When a mobile device 109 usermakes a request for an appointment with the media distribution server119, the webserver calendar module 147 of the media distribution server119 prompts the respective service provider system 115 or a contentprovider system 117 with an instance of iCal data (internet calendarapplication). The service or content provider systems 115, 117 then makeentries in their calendar modules using the iCal data provided and sendit a confirmation back or an alternate iCal data back to the mediadistribution server 119. The media distribution server 119 forwards theconfirmation information or the alternate iCal data it to the mobiledevice user who had made a request for an appointment. Based on thisiCal data provided, which is stored in the mobile device, such as in acalendar client, the mobile user prepares for a meeting as per theentries made in the iCal by the respective service or content provider.The iCal data sent to the mobile device (or schedule information inother formats) is associated with a scheduled meeting, such a scheduledmeeting being arranged to see a real estate property on sale, tryout amembership at a local fitness center, meet a broker for some investmentadvice, etc. It can also be a schedule for a telephonic conversation, aconference call, an e-mail exchange, an instant messaging chat, ameeting with an individual, a testing of a service or content, a meetingwith a service provider or a content provider's representative, etc.

The media distribution server 119 is communicatively coupled to themobile device 109 and service 115 and content provider systems 117, inaccordance with the present invention. The media distribution server 119and the service provider system 115 are communicatively coupled, forexample via the Internet 103. The content provider system 117 and thehotspot/access point 105 are also communicatively coupled with mediadistribution server 119 using the Internet 103. The mobile device 109may employ a cellular service or a WLAN (or even a WiMAX) service toestablish communications with the media distribution server 119, via theInternet 103.

The hotspot/access point 105 is further communicatively coupled with themobile device 109. For example, it is communicatively coupled using theantenna 107, and the upward and downward wireless links 111 and 113respectively. The hotspot/access point 105 is a WLAN access hotspot,such as those used for WiFi communications, in one embodiment and is acellular network access point in another. In general, the hotspot/accesspoint 105 is a wireless digital interface that delivers interactivemedia from the media distribution server 119 and collects the user'sresponse from the mobile device 109.

The mobile device 109 has a joystick which aids navigation andscrolling, and softkeys which helps in selecting a menu item from a menulist or a media list displayed. It also selectively employs the joystickand the softkeys to enable user selection from multiple choices providedor form option buttons displayed on a screen displayed on the mobiledevice 109.

The service provider system 115 is a computer or a server through whichservice and product related ads and information are submitted to themedia distribution server 119 via the Internet 103. The content providersystem 117 is a computer through which the content providers delivercontents such as MP3 based songs, video clips, news and event relatedinformation, advertisements, to the media distribution server 119 sothat the media distribution server 119 distributes them among a largecommunity of mobile users.

In one embodiment, the media distribution server 119 insertsadvertisements provided by a content provider system 117 into aninteractive media, such as a questionnaire or a recipe provided by theservice provider system 115, and delivers the combined interactive media(with its embedded or associated advertisement) to the mobile device109.

The media distribution server 119 employs several databases which assistin gathering and maintaining all the media related interactioninformation. For example, it employs the transaction database 151, whichmaintains all the online transaction information such as purchases,product trial and the online appointment related information. It alsoemploys the billing and the shipping database 155 that comprises all thebilling and shipping details for the users and also maintainsinformation on all the transaction conducted on the media distributionserver 119.

The interactive media database 131 contains all the interactive mediathat have been distributed. In particular it stores a reference to olderinteractive media in a queue called old interactive media queue 133 andones more recently generated, some of them yet to be communicated to themobile device 109, referred to as new interactive media, in a separatequeue referred to as the new interactive media queue 135.

The user targeting module 153 is a module which maintains thetransaction history, interactive media access history and habits of anindividual mobile device 109 user so that it can determine if the usermakes a good target for the distribution of a new interactive media. TheE-mail service 127 facilitates the retrieval of the E-mail addressinformation from a user registration database or from a stored userprofile and the communication of invoices, acknowledgements, additionalinformation requested by a user, appointment information, etc. to theuser employing an email address associated with the user. In particular,using the email address of the user, it communicates acknowledgements onevery successful transaction conducted by the user using the mobiledevice 109, such acknowledgement and confirmation often originating atthe service provider system 115 or the content provider system 117.

The coordinator module 121 has a role in coordinating interactionsbetween the mobile device 109, and the service provider system 115 andthe content provider system 117. The role of this module 121 is oftenclosely coupled with the role or function of (i.e. the communicationprotocol set up by) the workflow manager 145. The mobile device responsereceiver component 123 of the coordinator module 121 receives the userprovided response from the mobile device 109, such as multiple choiceselections made by a user or an audio message recorded by the user,during the review of an interactive media by the user on the mobiledevice 109. User selections of items in a multiple choice selection canbe made, for example, employing a joystick on the mobile device 109 orusing the softkeys provided by the mobile device 109 on a screendisplayed to the user. Such user responses are, in some embodiments,used as inputs in generating subsequent interactive media portions, orsubsequent screens by the media distribution server 119. The service andcontent provider interaction interface 125 facilitates the interactionswith external systems, such as the service provider system 115 or thecontent provider system 117, such interactions needed for the retrievalof the service provider's inputs and content provider's inputs. Theinputs that are retrieved by the module 121 are provided as inputs tothe dynamic media development module 143 which uses a generic mediadescription tool, the product and services description module 141 thatgenerates the interactive media using the inputs provided, to queue up anext portion of interactive media (or a new one) in the new interfacemedia queue 135 of database 131, for subsequent delivery to the mobiledevice 109.

The sales transaction manager 129 conducts all the mobile salestransactions and maintains all the transaction related data that mightbe retrieved as a transaction report from the transaction database 151.The transaction report is periodically retrieved by a user of the mediadistribution server 119, such as a manager associated with a serviceprovider or a content provider. The sales transaction manager 129facilitates communication of an invoice to the mobile device 109 forapproval by a user, and communication of sales confirmation by the mediadistribution server 109.

The busy schedule manager 137 helps in the successful delivery of theinteractive media to the mobile device 109 as per a schedule ofdelivery. It also facilitates retrieval of a response from the mobiledevice 109 based on a schedule or based on current traffic conditions.For example, it does this task by tracking the traffic conditions on thenetwork and deciding when it is appropriate to interact with the mobiledevice 109. Proper timing is very essential. When a user triggers abutton on a screen on him mobile device 109 resulting in a responsebeing communicated to the media distribution server 119, the mediadistribution server has to respond back to the user fairly quickly intime—otherwise the interaction is likely to be perceived as tedious bythe mobile user. Shorter the delay in responding to a user initiatedinteraction, the more satisfactory is the user's experience is likely tobe.

The product trial manager 139 responds to all trial requests made by theusers. It facilitates a follow up and maintains information such as thetrial duration, trial conditions, etc. and communicates such informationto both the mobile device user and the corresponding service 115 and thecontent provider systems 117. The service 115 and the content providersystem 117 then make arrangements for the sample product to be shippedto the user's contact address. If it is a software product for which atrail is requested by a user, the trial period for the software is setupautomatically by the product trial manager 139 with associated start andend durations determined, such as a period based on the date a mobileuser makes the request.

The workflow manager 145 sets up a communication link with a predefinedtype of interaction that take place among various entities i.e. betweena mobile device 109 and the media distribution server 119; or betweenthe media distribution server 119 and the service or the contentprovider systems 115 and 117 respectively. Workflow is basically theexchange of data, instructions, control information, and messages, in aspecific order or at specific times among the entities to accomplish aspecific task, for e.g. an online purchase.

The webserver calendar module 147 fields appointment request by a userand sets up an appointment as requested by the mobile device user. Forexample, when the mobile device user makes an appointment request byselecting the “appointment” multiple choice selection on a displayeditem (or activates a button on his screen, the request is sent to themedia distribution server 119. In response to this, the server 119invokes an iCal manager 149 that is a component in the webservercalendar module 147, which creates a schedule or a calendar entry whichis communicated to the mobile device 109 as an iCal instance (in iCalformat, for example). If, for a particular service, a service providersystem 115 is responsible for making appointments, then the webservercalendar module 147 requests the service provider system 115 to generatean appointment. It provides the service provider system 115 details ofthe mobile user (such as a user profile) and the specific item(s) of thecorresponding interactive media (such as real estate properties ofinterest) for which the user has requested an appointment. Thus, themobile user is sent an instance of iCal (internet calendar) by therespective service or the content provider systems 115, 117, or by themedia distribution server 119, after they have created relevantappointment entries. The server 119, for example, forwards the iCalinstance with the entries for an appointment to the mobile device user,that may be displayed to the user on the mobile device 109 in anappropriate screen, enabling the user to prepare/plan for a meeting witha representative of the service provider or the content provider. Forexample, the appointment can be for a telephonic conversation, a callconference, an E-mail chat, or a meeting in person with therepresentatives of the service or the content providers.

In one embodiment, a client in the mobile device 109 makes it possibleto download and display interactive media from the media distributionserver 119 whenever the user so desires. It also receives notificationsfrom the media distribution server 119 regarding the availability of newinteractive media. In a related embodiment, it gets interactive mediaand other content pushed to it from the media distribution server 119.In particular, it gets recipes from the media distribution server 119and displays it to the user. The recipes are audio-assisted recipes withstep-by-step audio instructions for the various steps of the recipe.These steps are enhanced with graphic aids and textual descriptions ofthe steps and the ingredients used in those steps. Each recipe alsocomes with a list of ingredients that can be viewed by activating an“Info” softkey or button on the screens. In addition, these recipes canbe selectively saved in the mobile device 109. The audio instructionsare typically provided by a chef or a famous celebrity whoseachievements and recipes the user of the mobile device is keen onfollowing (as a fan or a subscriber). The graphic aid for each step canbe graphics (digital image or a photo graph, for example) of a utensil,an appliance relevant to the recipe, of ingredients used, etc. Inaddition, a graphical image of the chef (or the celebrity associatedwith the recipe) is also displayed, such as in a corner of the screen.In another related embodiment, the recipes are video-assisted recipes(providing video clips with audio accompaniment) with step-by-step videoinstructions for the various steps of the recipe. Textual descriptionsof the text are also provided and supplementary information providedcomprising the various ingredients, utensils, dinner placements andappliances.

In one embodiment, the media distribution server 119 assembles one ormore textual, graphics, audio, video and multiple choice content into adelivered interactive media, which has been delivered by a serviceprovider system or a content provider system, creating an assembledinteractive media. It also incorporates one or more advertisements intothe assembled interactive media creating a new/customized interactivemedia that can be delivered to a user of the mobile device 109.

In one embodiment, the mobile device 109 presents a list of availableinteractive media to a user of the mobile device and solicits a userselection. It then retrieves a selected interactive media based on theuser selection, wherein the selected interactive media comprises aninserted advertisement and an “other content”. For example, the othercontent comprises one or more portions of an interactive media, witheach portion comprising a textual component, a graphics component, anaudio component and an optional video component, etc. The mobile device109 displays the inserted advertisement provided in the interactivemedia. It also displays the other content. It can display, based upon aconfiguration provided in the other content, or in the advertisementportion, or even as metadata, the advertisement before, during or afterthe display of the other content. Thus, the mobile device 109 displaysthe inserted advertisement before, after or during the display of theother content based on such configuration information.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an interactive media database 201 inaccordance with the present invention is a block diagram of aninteractive media database 201 in accordance with the present invention.The product and the services description module 141 of FIG. 1 providethe generic content that can be customized before delivery to a user ofa mobile device. A generic content for a product or service may compriseof one or more portions (one or more types of data, for example), thatit typically receives from a service provider system 115 or a contentprovider system 117. Some of these portions may be changed, swappedadded or dropped based on preferences, mobile device configuration,mobile device capabilities or customization needs, before it isdelivered to the mobile device 109. Thus, customized interactive mediacan be generated dynamical and delivered to a user of the mobile device109. In one embodiment, the interactive media are organized in the formof different libraries in the interactive media database 203.Interactive media libraries are categorized based on the nature ofonline sales and business an E-business company does on the internet.

More common categories of the interactive media libraries are realestate library, product and services library, news and the eventslibrary, cartoon library, dynamically assembled contents and othergeneral category of library. Dynamically assembled contents are theinteractive media generated based on the dynamic content assembly rulesor dynamic assembly of interactive media based on parameters or inputsreceived from different entities. The inputs resulting in the dynamicinteractive media are typically retrieved from the mobile user duringhis interaction with the mobile device 109.

In one embodiment, the interactive media database 203 comprises two mainqueues, one consisting all the new interactive media which are yet todelivered to the mobile devices (such as mobile device 109) and theother consisting of all the old interactive media that have been alreadydelivered to the mobile devices. The new interactive media queue 205 hascategorized libraries such as real estate library 207, product andservices library 213, news and events library 209, cartoon library 215,other types interactive media library 211, and dynamically assembledcontents interactive media library 217. The old interactive media queue219 has all the old interactive media that have already been deliveredto the mobile devices but still maintained for the later reference.

The real estate library 207 contains all the interactive media relatedto the real estate sales and property management business. Wheninteractive media for real estate information is presented to a mobileuser on his mobile device 109, the user is provided an opportunity torequest an appointment. For example, a radio button labeled “make anappointment” is provided, which when clicked communicates a request bythe mobile users to setup an appointment. The workflow manager 145 ofFIG. 1 sets up an appointment generation and schedule communicationtask(s) that processes appointment request from the user and facilitatessetting up of an appointment to see a property advertised (for sale orrental) or meet an individual associated with a service provider.

The interactive media database 203 comprises all the interactive mediathat are referred to or described by the product and servicesdescription module 141 of FIG. 1 based on content and configurationreceived from the service provider system 115 or content provider system117.

The product and services library 213 contains all the interactive mediarelated to the products to and services provided by mobilebusinesses/companies. The product information based interactive mediacomprise of a list of products and services wherein each item in thelist can be viewed by the user, one at a time, when the interactivemedia is delivered to the user on his mobile device 109.

The news and event library 209 comprises all the interactive mediaprovided by news organizations and online news publishing systems thatserve as content providers 117 on the network 101. This librarycomprises content that are basically news in brief that can bedynamically assembled into interactive media of interest to the user. Inaddition, they can incorporate different kinds of events, wherein thedetails of the events are short messages on public/private events ofinterest to a user.

A cartoon library 215 contains all the interactive media related to thecartoon art and animated video clips etc. as entertainment online. Anothers category library 211 contains all the miscellaneous interactivemedia. The dynamically assembled contents are the interactive mediawhich are modified and delivered on-the-fly, processing responses andsometimes incorporating instantaneous inputs from the mobile deviceusers.

FIG. 3 is a perspective block diagram of a product and servicedescription module, in accordance with the present invention. Thismodule has generic description of all the interactive media provided asan outline structure or a template with parameterizedcomponents/portions. The parameterized components/portions takes inputsassigned to the parameterized values resulting in specific instance ofinteractive media. The inputs provided are sometimes numbers orsometimes in other nonnumeric form. In one embodiment, the nonnumericform of inputs are the type descriptions, mode of business transactions,product names, product models, product pictures or images, multiplechoice selection inputs by the mobile users, etc., that are assigned asvalues to their respective parameters. These numeric and nonnumericinputs incorporated into a template or a generic media descriptioncompletely describe an instance of interactive media that can bedelivered to a mobile device.

Subsequent interactive inputs provided by both the mobile device userand service or content providers further guide dynamic generation ofinteractive media. This can be used to convert a generic mobile/onlinetransaction into a specific type of task e.g. purchase of a product,appointment request, setting up a trial of a sample product, terminatinga transaction (exit), etc. For example, if an online purchase isconducted by the user, dynamic media description module translates theinteraction into a financial transactions incorporating data such asbilling, payment, service charge settlement, etc. into a specific task.For example, thus task is used for transactions related to purchase of aspecific product by a user, with specific predefined sequence of inputsprovided.

After the complete generation of the interactive media based ontemplates and inputs, it is inserted into an interactive media queuecalled new interactive media queue. The media distribution server 119 ofFIG. 1 distributes it to all the mobile devices. Once an interactivemedia is delivered to the relevant mobile devices, it will be moved toan old interactive media queue after some specific time as a backup.This backup is for later reference.

FIG. 3 is a perspective block diagram of various exemplary server-sidecomponents that are involved in the process of generating interactivemedia dynamically in a distribution server. A product and servicedescription module 303 (141 of FIG. 1 repeated) contains all theinteractive media description in their template form. It comprises acontent and user interaction generator component 309 which receives theinputs from an external content provider system (117 of FIG. 1 repeated)and a mobile device user (109 of FIG. 1 repeated) as it generatesinteractive media specific to the user based on the contentsavailable/accessible. A multiple choice and options component 311receives responses/selections from multiple choice selections made bythe users. Multiple choices are various selections made by the userswhen presented with multiple-choice selections, radio buttons, etc. Thechoices are typically those made by the users before proceeding to anymobile/online transactions. The exemplary multiple choices according tothe present invention are “purchase”, “not interested”, “interested”,and “store in wishlist”. Other types of multiple-choice selectionspresented to a user are also contemplated. For example, if theinteractive media relates to a realty business the multiple choices willbe of the type “make an appointment”, “not interested”, “interested”,“not in this neighborhood”, and “not my type”. Thus, these choicespresented to a user are likely to be vertical market specific too. Inaddition, user selections of screen navigation options, which aretypically the controls selected on the mobile device screen, such as“next”, “prey.”, “forward”, etc. are also supported. These navigationoptions further influence the dynamic assembly/generation of interactivemedia that are relevant to a user.

Additional inputs for a complete description of the interactive mediaare accessed from service and the content provider parameter interface305 (115 and 117 of FIG. 1 repeated), and a mobile device user inputparameters interface module 307 that provides interactive inputsreceived from the mobile device users (109 of FIG. 1 repeated).Images/pictures and graphics inputs are retrieved from the respectiveservice and content providers employing a graphics and picture inputsinterface 321. Also some generic pictures and images are picked asinputs from an internal image and picture library provided by thegraphics and picture inputs interface 321. Other type of inputs tomodule 303 are audio and video clips 323 which are highly efficientmeans of providing interactive media to the mobile devices, inaccordance with the present invention.

Completely described and defined interactive media, that are based ontemplates and dynamically assembled, are queued up in a queue called thenew interactive media queue 313 (135 of FIG. 1 repeated) for thesubsequent delivery on the mobile devices 109 of FIG. 1. The newinteractive media queue 313 is like a stack of items or objects thatoperate according to a distribution scheme, such as a first in first outscheme. This means that an interactive media which is stacked first intothe new interactive media queue 313 will be delivered first to themobile devices 109 of FIG. 1. The interactive media such as interactivemedia-1 315, interactive media-2 317, interactive media-3 319, etc. inthe new interactive media queue 313 will remain active for a specifiedduration of time and will be removed after that and taken to a backupcalled old interactive media queue 133 of FIG. 1 for later reference.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a network 401 that operates a mediadistribution server 401 that interacts with a service provider system403, a content provider system 413 and a mobile device 405 in accordancewith the present invention. The media distribution server 407 assemblesand generates the interactive media using various inputs from the otherentities and accomplishes the task with a two-way communication withthose entities. For example, it receives commands (instructions, controlinformation, messages, etc.) from an entity and generates messages forthat entity to accomplish a task. The user generated interaction signalsare typically provided from mobile display screens made available on themobile device 405, such as by the user choosing multiple choicespresented, or selecting on option buttons using the softkeys on his/hermobile device.

The interaction between a mobile device 405 and the media distributionserver 407 typically start with the media distribution server 407delivering a list of available interactive media to the mobile device405. The mobile user using the mobile device 405 initiates subsequentinteraction with the media distribution server 407 by selecting asuitable choice from his/her screen which results in a response message(shown by an inward arrow) towards the media distribution server 407. Inresponse to this user selections/choices the media distribution sever407 prepares new multimedia/interactive media content (to be presentedin subsequent screens based on the options selected) and communicatesback such content (shown by an outward arrow) towards the mobile device405. Further selections made by the user on the subsequent mobilescreens will result in a similar response from the media distributionserver 407. Such interactions are continued until a predefined task iscompleted. Also the task maybe terminated by selecting an “exit” or a“done” button from the screen on the mobile device 405 at any time.

In some embodiment, the interactive media delivery process is initiatedwith the request made by a service provider or a content providerinteracting (online or through some other means) the media distributionserver 407 (administration) for marketing products or services, or forsome business assistance such as for placements of an ad (oradvertisement). In this process, the service or the content providers,employing the respective service provider system 403 or the contentprovider system 413, share their product and the service details(generally electronically online) with the media distribution server 407(in a predefined format). This information forms the basic requiredinput for the product and services description module 141 of FIG. 1.Using this initially shared information, the product and servicesdescription module 141 generates the interactive media and puts it in aqueue to be delivered to the mobile devices 405.

The display screens for the interactive media on the mobile device 405are data driven, and are facilitated by a client component. Being datadriven, they undergo further modifications as dynamic data/content isassembled and delivered to the mobile device 405 by the mediadevelopment module 409 based on interactive inputs from the mobiledevices, in accordance the present invention. And subsequently acontinued participation of mobile user in interaction processsuccessfully accomplishes the objective (business or service) task. Inthis continued interaction between the mobile device user and the mediadistribution server 407, the service or the content providers are alsoinvolved through user requests forwarded to them or solicitations formore information forwarded to them by the media distribution server 407.

The block diagram 401 of FIG. 4 shows the two-way interaction amongvarious entities that are involved in the delivery of the interactivemedia to the mobile devices. The media distribution server 407 (119 ofFIG. 1 repeated) has its essential components shown such as the dynamicmedia development module 409 (143 of FIG. 1 repeated), and mobiledevice-service and content provider coordinator module 411 (121 of FIG.1 repeated). The media distribution server 407 is communicativelycoupled with the mobile device 405 to accomplish the two-way viz. theupward 419 and downward 421 interactions respectively.

For initially providing content and associated meta-information, and forsubsequently providing additional content in the middle of a userinteraction process, the service provider system 403 (115 of FIG. 1repeated) employs a two-way communication viz. the upward link 417 (frommedia distribution server) and the downward link 415, respectively.Similarly for a media or content propagation using the mobile devices,the content provider system 413 (117 of FIG. 1 repeated) also employs atwo-way interaction viz. upward link 423 and the downward link 425respectively with the media distribution server 407. The upward and thedownward communication protocols are set up using the workflow manager145 of FIG. 1. These protocols are predefined for all the possibleinteractions during interactive media delivery.

FIG. 5 (a)-(d) are exemplary screens on a mobile device displayedsuccessively to a mobile user, the associated content being delivered bya media distribution server, the exemplary screens facilitating requestfor a product sample, a product trial, a purchase order for a product,etc. Some of the screens presented to the user comprise an interactivemedia list from which a user can select an interactive media, whereineach interactive media comprises an associated welcome screen, text andgraphics in different screens, and user selectable menu items, inaccordance with the present invention. Due to small display on mostmobile devices, it is not appropriate to present interactive media withlot of textual descriptions. This necessitates different forms ofpresenting interactive media on the mobile devices, and the presentinvention facilitates audio-assisted and video assisted interactivemedia.

In order to avoid cluttering the screen on the mobile device,descriptive audio and/or video clips provided with most of theinteractive media are delivered to the mobile device andrendered/played, in accordance with the present invention. Audio guidedinteractive media have the advantage of being localized to thelocale/language of the mobile user, as the mobile user can listen tomedia description in a language of his choice. In another embodiment ofthe present inventions video clips are associated with the interactivemedia to augment the corresponding product/service descriptions (whichmay have text and graphics too) more effectively.

In one embodiment, the computational resource limitation on the mobiledevices is circumvented by an interactive screen generation facilitysupported by the media distribution server 119 of FIG. 1. Everyscreenful of information is retrieved from a portion of interactivemedia delivered to the device. The interactive media is assembled orgenerated by the media distribution server, in portions based onprevious user selections and preferences, and then delivered to themobile device. For example, in the display of one exemplary interactivemedia, the first screen is the “Welcome” screen containing the list ofall the interactive media. The users start interaction by selecting aparticular interactive media of his choice from the welcome screen, inresponse to which another screen containing various options on thatparticular product or service will be delivered by the mediadistribution server to the mobile device. Subsequent screens deliverportions of the particular interactive media selected by the user, theportions being based on the user's choice or options made on the currentscreen using his/her mobile device softkeys.

Exemplary screens 528, 501, 530, and 532 of FIG. 5 (a)-(d) respectivelydepict successive displays provided to the mobile device of the user,wherein the user is able to select one of a list of interactive media,the list delivered to the mobile device by the media distributionserver. The list, in a related embodiment, is provided by the mediadistribution server in response to a user's request for interactivemedia.

The mobile device display screen 528 of FIG. 5( a) is a welcome screenfor a client component that facilitates viewing of interactive media.The welcome screen often plays a jingle, provides a “splash” screen,prompts users to login selectively, and makes it possible for a user toselect interactive media that can be delivered by the media distributionserver to the mobile device. It provides a category list for interactivemedia list 513. The exemplary categories are products and services, Realestate, news and events, cartoons, etc. Each of these categoriescomprise interactive media of respective type which a user can selectusing softkey on the mobile keypad of the mobile device.

The option softkey buttons on the mobile device display screen 528 arethe Start button 515, Info button 517, Next button 519, Done button 521,Print button 523, Suppl. (supplementary) Info button 525, Exit button534, and Select button 527. A user selects various soft buttons usingthe softkey 531 from the keypad 542. In FIG. 5( a) the mobile device hasthe screen area and the keypad 542, which contains various keysincluding the joystick 531, a call connect key 529 (also used as softkeyfor menu item selection) and a call disconnect key 533 (also used assoftkey for menu item selection). In one embodiment, the buttons (515,517, 519, 521, 523, 525, 534 and 527) are replaced by corresponding menuitems selectable using the softkeys 529, 533 and the joystick 531.

FIG. 5 b is an exemplary display screen 501 of the mobile device that isdisplayed when a user selects product and services category 505 in thedisplay for FIG. 5 a. For example, a user can select the product andservices category for related interactive media items using the selectbutton 527 (or a menu item) after optionally browsing up and down thelist using the joystick 531. In response, the mobile device displays alist of items 537 comprising references to products and services. A usercan highlight one or more of them using the joystick 559, and selectingthem using the appropriate key such as 557. A keypad 544 containsvarious keys and the joystick 559. For example a call connect key 557and a call disconnect key 561 can be used as softkeys with the functionsof selection and cancel assigned to them.

The list of items 537 comprises a list of product and services items539, 541, etc. The option buttons (which are provided as selectable menuitems in a different embodiment) on this screen are a Start button 543,an Info button 545, a Next button 547, a Prev (previous) button 549, aPrint button 551, a Forward button 553, an Exit button 536 and a Selectbutton 555. Use of other buttons is also contemplated. A user selectsvarious menu items or buttons using the joystick 559 from the keypad 544and associated softkeys 557, 561.

The exemplary mobile device screen 530 of FIG. 5( c) is the screendisplayed when the user selects one of a list of products and servicesdisplayed to the user on the mobile device. For example, from the screendisplayed in FIG. 5( b) comprising a list of product and services, theuser can select one of them and, in response, the screen 530 isdisplayed. The screen 530 comprises a textual and graphic displaysection 563 and a multiple choice display section 565. The location,relative positions, size and other characteristics of these two sectionsare configurable, and changeable. The mobile device also provides akeypad 546 which contains various keys such as the softkey 598, a callconnect key 597 and a call disconnect key 599.

The textual and graphic display section 563 on the exemplary screen 530of the mobile device displays information on the product and serviceitem-1 selected in the screen of FIG. 5 b. The associated multiplechoices displayed are Make Appointment 567, Sample Order 569, PurchaseOrder 571, Interested 573, Trial 575, Store in wishlist 577, Not in thisNeighborhood 579, and Not my Type 581 options. Other sets of multiplechoice selections can be supported. Both exclusive and multipleselections are supported.

The exemplary option buttons displayed on this screen are a Start button583, an Info button 585, a Next button 587, a Prev (previous) button589, a Print button 591, a Suppl. Info button 593, an Exit button 538and a Select button 595. A user selects various soft buttons using thesoftkey 597, 599 provided or the joystick 598.

In the exemplary screen shown in FIG. 5 c, if the user were interestedin requesting a sample or in ordering deliver of a sample (such as afree sample of a product), the user would highlight the menu item entryor button Sample Order 569 (if a the menu list is displayed, theappropriate item in the menu list can be selected). Such selections ismade for the item, such as sample order 569, using the select button 595(for example). In response to this the media distribution server 119generates and delivers a next portion of the interactive media, asnecessary, which would be displayed in an exemplary mobile devicedisplay screen of FIG. 5( d).

The exemplary mobile device screen 532 of FIG. 5( d) provides details ofa sample order 502 requested by a user. For example, if the user selectsthe menu item Sample Order 569 displayed in FIG. 5 c, the details of thesample order are presented to the user in screen 532, wherein the useris prompted to provide a shipping address 506 and other relatedinformation. In FIG. 5( d) the mobile device presents the sample orderscreen section 502 and a list of items section 504. Using a keypad 548which contains various keys along with a joystick 524 a call connect key522 and a call disconnect key 526, the user can enter the prompted dataand interact with the screen.

In one embodiment, the screen for sample order requests 502 comprises asection “List of Items” 504 that makes it possible for a user to providea shipping address information 506 comprising a label street address,city, state, country, and zip code. The mobile device user enters thoseitems and selects the “Send” option button (or alternatively, a menuitem) to deliver this information to a remote media distribution server,in accordance with the present invention.

The user selects the Send button 508 using the softkey 524 (for example)from the keypad 548 to proceed to communicate the shipping address tothe media distribution server, such as the media distribution server 119of FIG. 1. The media distribution server in response forwards thisinformation to a corresponding service provider system. The serviceprovider system arranges the delivery of a sample to the user. Thesample is delivered employing the furnished shipping address. Aftersending the shipping address in the screen 532, user selects the Exitbutton 540 to return to the Welcome screen 503 of FIG. 5( a). Inaddition, the user can also select a Done button 510 to return to thepower-on screen.

In general, the selection of the Start button enables the interaction onany screen. The selection of Info button furnishes the information onthe selected item, such information provided in audio/voice form to theuser. If the Suppl. Info button is activated by a user, additionalinformation on the selected item, (such as a product or service) isprovided, such supplementary information comprising informationprovided, as necessary, in textual, graphics and audio formats. Forexample, the supplementary information provided can be a combination ofa textual description of a product or service that is also accompaniedby an audio description (such as a human voice describing the product orservice). In some cases video clips describing the selected item in moredetail is provided.

In general, the Next and Prev buttons are used for the navigationpurpose from screen to screen. The Done button takes is used to exit theuse of the client application, thereby taking the user to a main screen,such as a power-on screen. The select button typically selects an itemthat is currently highlighted in a list presented to a user. The printbutton helps to print the current screen content on a printer, forexample, employing a Bluetooth communication means. The Send buttonsends the current screen content, which the user has entered, forexample, back to the media distribution server or to some other server,as relevant. The Forward button forwards an interactive media to anothermobile device, or to another user.

FIG. 6 is an interaction flow diagram describing an exemplary handshakebetween a mobile device 605, a media distribution server 603 and aservice provider system 607. The exemplary handshake is associated witha mobile purchase event initiated by a user of the mobile device 605,such as by the selection of a purchase option by the user on a screenpresented comprising a product or service details with a multiple choiceselection comprising a purchase option. This interaction and flow ofassociated information over appropriate communication protocols is setup by a workflow manager associated with the media distribution server603. Thus, an option to purchase an item currently on display on themobile device is provided to a mobile user.

In general, the workflow manager associated with the media distributionserver 603 receives inputs from different entities and respondsappropriately. It prompts an entity (for e.g. a mobile device) with aquery and receives its response. In one embodiment of the presentinvention, tagged media control information, message options, etc.(using a web programming language code for example) is communicated tothe mobile device 605. The web programming language code also comprisesanother piece of code which runs from the mobile device screen. Whenthis piece of code executes on the mobile device screen, it collects allthe interaction information and sends it back as the response from themobile device to the media distribution server. The media distributionserver then presents it to the workflow manager, which determines thesucceeding step in a work flow. Similarly, the media distribution server603 also communicates a second code comprising appropriate queries andmessages and even some control information) to the service providersystem 607 or a content provider system. The second code that is sent bythe media distribution server 603 running on the service provider system607 or the content provider system collects all the interactioninformation needed and sends it back to the media distribution server603 for processing.

In general, an interactive media list is delivered to the user of themobile device 605 on a welcome screen/splash screen of a clientapplication in accordance with the present invention. Based upon thislist, the user makes a selection of the interactive media of hisinterest and starts interacting with the presented interactive media, bychoosing different portions, providing user inputs, and triggering audioinformation play, video information display, graphics display, multiplechoice selections, etc. The user interaction depends on the screen viewpresented to the user on his mobile, some of which is in response to theuser's previous interaction.

The generation of the interactive media starts with the service or thecontent providers delivering the product details comprising product orservice parameters to the media distribution server 119 of FIG. 1. Forexample, the parameters provided describe a new product, new service ora new interactive media.

The interaction diagram 601 of FIG. 6 explains the interaction sequenceinvolved between a media distribution server 603 (such as 119 of FIG.1), a mobile device 605 (such as the device 109 of FIG. 1), and theservice provider system 607 (such as 115 of FIG. 1). Each of theemerging skewed arrows from an entity indicates information flowassociated with a current response corresponding to a current screendisplayed on the mobile device. The skew in the arrow lines indicatesexemplary time dependencies in the interaction process. as theinformation flow are presented in an exemplary timeline 655 to indicatethe chronology of actions taking place in the FIG. 6.

In one embodiment, the service provider system 607 provides the newproduct description information 619 to the media distribution server603. The product and services description module 141 of FIG. 1 generatesnew interactive media and puts it into the new interactive media queue135 of FIG. 1. The media distribution server 603 delivers thisinteractive media 609 from the new interactive media queue 135 of FIG. 1on a welcome screen to the mobile device 605. A mobile user selects aninteractive media item from the list presented. This selection responseis communicated to the media distribution server 603 as an openinteractive media 611 message, in response to which the mediadistribution server 603 delivers the next portion of interactive mediain which it presents a message 613 prompting the user to make aselection from a product list. On an associated screen, the user makes aselection, to respond with a product chosen 615 message that iscommunicated back to the media distribution server 603. On a nextportion of the interactive media delivered by media distribution server603, there is a message 657 containing a purchase option. In response tothis portion of interactive media, the user responds by a selecting thepurchase option and thereby making purchase request 617, communicatingthe message to the media distribution server 603.

The purchase request is made by selecting the product from the productlist on its screen which opens a new screen containing the multiplechoices such as “purchase”, “not interested”, “interested”, and “storein wishlist”. Mobile user selects the “purchase” option using softkeyson his mobile device 605 keypad. This results in conveying a purchaserequest 617 message to the media distribution server 603.

Upon receiving the signal 617, the media distribution server 603generates next portion of the interactive media (to be displayed in anext screen to the user, for example). For example, this next portion ofthe interactive media may prompt the mobile user to approve of apurchase order, representing the user with the detailed priceinformation 621 message. It may also subsequently prompt the user toprovide pay mode details 623. For example, the user may be presentedwith a screen prompting the user to provide approval on the price andspecify the mode of payment. The mobile user provides the online paydetails 625 information which is communicated back to the mediadistribution server 603. In response to the pay details sent by mobileuser the media distribution server 603 sends such invoice detailsinformation 627 and at the same it delivers acknowledge purchase and paymessage 639 to the service provider system 607. Subsequently the mediadistribution server 603 dispatches acknowledge invoice message 641 tothe service provider system 607 and initiates product delivery modesmessage 629 to the mobile device 605.

Basically the product delivery mode is the way through which the productis going to be delivered to the mobile device user. The user is promptedwith multiple choice options to be selected by the user. The user makesa selection generating the delivery request message 631 to the mediadistribution server 603. The media distribution server 603 forwards thismessage as a forwarded delivery request 643 to the service providersystem 607. Upon receiving the message 643 the service provider 607delivers the confirmed delivery request 645 message to the mediadistribution server, which it forwards to the mobile device as aforwarded confirmed delivery request message 633.

On the day or time when the service provider dispatches the mobilepurchased product for delivery to the mobile user, the service providersystem 607 communicates a product dispatched message 647 to the mediadistribution server 603, which it delivers as the forwarded productdispatched message 635 to the mobile user. On the day or time when theuser receives the product, the mobile device 603 (actually theappropriate client application in the mobile device 605) sends a productreceived acknowledgement message 637 to the media distribution server603, which the media distribution server 603 delivers as a productreceived acknowledgement message 649 to the service provider system 607.

Once the media distribution server 603 sends the product receivedacknowledgement to the service provider, it starts processing theservice charges due to the service provider. It prompts for details ofservice charges sending the message 659 to the service provider system607, in response to which the service provider system 607 communicatesservice charges online along with paid service charge message 651delivered to the media distribution server 603. The media distributionserver 603 confirms the receipt of the service by acknowledging theservice provider with a message 653. This completes the chronology ofthe purchase workflow managed by the workflow manager associated withthe media distribution server 603.

FIG. 7 is an interaction diagram describing an exemplary handshakeduring an online appointment scheduling interaction between a mediadistribution server 703, a service provider system 707 and a mobiledevice 705 in accordance with the present invention. A generatedinteractive media list is delivered to the mobile device 705 on awelcome screen. Upon this the user makes the selection of theinteractive media of his interest and starts interacting by choosingfrom the presented options or multiple choice selections. Upon makingthe selections from the welcome screen interaction flow is likely to bedependent on the selections made. In one embodiment, the usersinteraction depends on the screen view delivered on his mobile device inresponse to his previous interaction on which the set of option buttonskeep changing from screen to screen (see FIG. 5) depending on therequirement. A workflow manager (such as the workflow manager 145 ofFIG. 1) associated with the of media distribution server 703 decides theflow of interactions or the chronology of the exchanged messages andcontrol information tagged and sent using appropriate code, andaccordingly the mobile screens are modified and delivered to the mobiledevice 605.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart for the action performed by the media distributionserver during the delivery of an interactive media to the mobile device,wherein the mobile device comprises a client capable of displaying theinteractive media, in accordance with the present invention. In general,the media distribution server receives the product and servicedescription parameters from the service or the content providers andgenerates the interactive media. Newly generated interactive media arestored in a new interactive media queue 135 of FIG. 1 The mediadistribution server 119 of FIG. 1 samples the new interactive mediaqueue and delivers all the new interactive media as a list to the mobiledevices. Initially, a user responds by selecting the interactive medialist from the welcome screen and optionally selecting specificinteractive media for further interaction. Any selection or the requestmade by the mobile device user 109 of FIG. 1 is communicated to themedia distribution server 119 of FIG. 1 While viewing and interactingwith the currently displayed interactive media, the user can select Exitor Done button to go back to the Welcome or the Power-on screen,respectively.

The media distribution server receives the user response when the userselects any of the multiple choice or option buttons on a screen. Thenthe media distribution server prepares a next screen or message, or anext portion of the interactive media and delivers it to the mobiledevice for display to the user. In this process it also receivesexternal inputs from the service or the content providers, wheneverrequired. The media distribution server modules process the external andthe user inputs and generate the interactive media that is subsequentlydelivered to the user on the mobile device.

In general, the user interacts with the interactive media (actually theclient displaying the interactive media) on the mobile device, makingchoices, selecting from presented options, such selections made usingthe joystick and/or the softkeys provided on the mobile device keypad.Each time the user makes a choice from a screen it is either collatedfor subsequent delivery or immediately communicated back to the mediadistribution server. A new screen with a next portion of the interactivemedia is then presented to the user, or a new information/message isgenerated dynamically and delivered to the user by the mediadistribution server.

Processing of a user's request for an interactive media starts at astart block 803. At next block 805 the media distribution servergenerates the interactive media based on the external inputs provided bythe service or content providers. It distributes the generatedinteractive media to the mobile devices. At a next block 807, the mediadistribution server receives response or inputs (or control informationfor generation of a next portion of an interactive media, or a nextscreen generation or action) from the mobile device user. Based on thisresponse or user input, the media distribution server generates a nextportion of an interactive media or performs the next action.

At the subsequent decision block 809 the media distribution serverchecks whether the user has responded by selecting the “exit” button. Ifthe user has responded by selecting the exit button, the processingcontinues at a next block 805 to delivers the welcome screen with theinteractive media list. Otherwise, processing continues at the nextdecision block 827 where the distribution server checks whether a “done”button is selected by a user.

If at the block 827, the media distribution server finds that the donebutton has been selected, then the media distribution server deliversthe power on screen at a next block 829; else it processes the user'sresponse and prepares for external interactions (with the service or thecontent providers) in a next block 811.

Then, at the next block 813, the media distribution server promptsservice or the content providers for the external inputs and receivesthem at a next block 815. Subsequently at a next block 817, it updatesinteractive media with new inputs and delivers them on the mobile deviceagain as a next portion of an interactive media, or as a new screen withnew message on it. It receives the user's options and makes decision togenerate the next screen at a next block 819. At next decision block 821the media distribution server checks whether the current interaction isthe last one needed in accomplishing the task, such a purchase, aproduct trial request, etc. If not, processing is passed to the nextblock 807 to receive the mobile users response and continues; elseprocessing continues at a next block 823 where the media distributionserver prepares to coordinate assembling of a shipping information. Forexample, information related to shipping of the purchased item isassembled by interacting both with the mobile device user and theservice or the content providers.

At the next block 827 the media distribution server coordinates thebilling of the purchased items and settlement of the payment.Subsequently at a next block 825 the media distribution server promptsfor the settlement of the service charges, in response to which theservice or the content providers makes arrangement for online settlementof service charges. The receipt of service changes is acknowledged bythe media distribution server. Then, the processing continues at theblock 805 where the whole sequence of the operation is repeated.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart for actions performed by workflow manager of amedia distribution server, in accordance with the present invention. Forexample, the workflow manger 145 of the media distribution server 119 ofFIG. 1 sets up the required communication protocol for the exchange ofmessages and control information across the network between the mediadistribution server and the mobile device; and between the mediadistribution server and the service or the content providers systems.The portions of the interactive media displayed in relevant mobiledevice screens, that is generated and delivered to the mobile devices,depends on the choices a mobile user selects from the current screen.Important multiple choices in this exemplary description of workflowmanager operation are the “appointment”, “purchase”, “interested”,“trial”, “store in wishlist”, “not in this neighborhood”, and “not mytype”, in accordance with the present invention.

On selection of any one of these multiple choice item a predefinedsequence of the message and control information exchange takes placeusing the web programming code (for e.g. XML) results in a predefinedsequence of the screens delivered to the mobile device to accomplish apredefined task (for e.g. an online purchase).

Flowchart 901 of FIG. 9 describes an exemplary operation performed bythe workflow manager 145 of the media distribution server 119 of FIG. 1The process starts at a block 903. Then, at a next block 905 theworkflow manager delivers a message in the form of interactive medialist that is typically presented to a mobile device user on a welcomescreen, such as on the mobile device 109 of FIG. 11 n response to this,the work flow manager instructs the media distribution server 119collects user response, such as a user response provided after openingan interactive media screen and the selecting option buttons on it. Uponreceiving the selected option information from the mobile device, at anext decision block 907 it tests whether the option selected is the“done” button from a current screen. If it is found to be true, then itprocess the next screen as the power-on screen at the block 931 todeliver to the mobile device, otherwise processing continues at a nextdecision block 909.

At the decision block 909 it tests whether the selected option is anonline “appointment” button. If it is true, then the workflow manager145 of FIG. 1 sets up an “appointment” communication protocol at theblock 933 and the corresponding chronology of actions are prompted toaccomplish that task, otherwise it goes to the next decision block 911.If it's found to be a “purchase” option made by the user at 911, thenthe workflow manager 145 of FIG. 1 sets up “purchase” communicationprotocol at the block 935 and the corresponding chronology of actionsare prompted to accomplish that task, otherwise, the processing proceedsto a next decision block 913.

In the decision block 913, if it's determined that the multiple choiceselection by the user is an “interested” option selected by the user,then the workflow manager 145 of FIG. 1 sets up “interested”communication protocol at the block 937 and the corresponding chronologyof actions are prompted to accomplish that task, otherwise processingproceeds to a next decision block 915. At the decision block 915, ifit's determined that the multiple choice selection made by a user is a“trial” option made by the mobile user, the workflow manager module 145of FIG. 1 sets up “trial” communication protocol at the block 939 andthe corresponding chronology of actions are prompted to accomplish thattask, otherwise, processing proceeds to a next decision block 917.

At the decision block 917, if it's found to be “sample” option made bythe user, then the workflow manager 145 of FIG. 1 sets up “sample”communication protocol at the block 941 and the corresponding chronologyof actions are prompted to accomplish that task, else it goes to thenext decision block 919. At the decision block 919, if it's found to bethe “wishlist” option made by the mobile user, the workflow managermodule 145 of FIG. 1 sets up “wishlist” communication protocol at theblock 943 and the corresponding chronology of actions are prompted toaccomplish that task, otherwise processing proceeds to a next decisionblock 921.

In the decision block 921, if it's determined that the multiple choiceselection made by a user is “not in this neighborhood” option, theworkflow manager 145 of FIG. 1 sets up “not in this neighborhood”communication protocol at the block 945 and the corresponding chronologyof actions are prompted to accomplish that task, otherwise processingproceeds to a next decision block 923. At the decision block 923, ifit's determined that the user's multiple choice selection is “not mytype” option made by the mobile user, the workflow manager 145 of FIG. 1sets up “not in my type” communication protocol at the block 947 and thecorresponding chronology of actions are prompted to accomplish thattask, otherwise processing proceeds to a next decision block 925.

At decision block 925, if it is determined that the multiple choiceselection or user selection of a menu item is an “exit” option selectedby the user, then the workflow manager 145 of FIG. 1 restores welcomescreen on the mobile display at the block 949, otherwise processingproceeds to a next decision block 927. At the decision block 927, if itis determined that the user selection of a multiple choice set presentedor a user selection of a menu item displayed is a “forward” option, theworkflow manager module 145 of FIG. 1 sets up “forward” communicationprotocol at the block 951 and the corresponding chronology of actionsare prompted to accomplish that task, otherwise processing proceeds to anext block 953 where it restores the welcome screen on the mobile devicedisplay. Then, from the block 953 processing proceeds to the next block905 from where it continues again.

As one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate, the terms “operablycoupled” and “communicatively coupled,” as may be used herein, includedirect coupling and indirect coupling via another component, element,circuit, or module where, for indirect coupling, the interveningcomponent, element, circuit, or module does not modify the informationof a signal but may adjust its current level, voltage level, and/orpower level. As one of ordinary skill in the art will also appreciate,inferred coupling (i.e., where one element is coupled to another elementby inference) includes direct and indirect coupling between two elementsin the same manner as “operably coupled” and “communicatively coupled.”

The present invention has also been described above with the aid ofmethod steps illustrating the performance of specified functions andrelationships thereof. The boundaries and sequence of these functionalbuilding blocks and method steps have been arbitrarily defined hereinfor convenience of description. Alternate boundaries and sequences canbe defined so long as the specified functions and relationships areappropriately performed. Any such alternate boundaries or sequences arethus within the scope and spirit of the claimed invention.

The present invention has been described above with the aid offunctional building blocks illustrating the performance of certainsignificant functions. The boundaries of these functional buildingblocks have been arbitrarily defined for convenience of description.Alternate boundaries could be defined as long as the certain significantfunctions are appropriately performed. Similarly, flow diagram blocksmay also have been arbitrarily defined herein to illustrate certainsignificant functionality. To the extent used, the flow diagram blockboundaries and sequence could have been defined otherwise and stillperform the certain significant functionality. Such alternatedefinitions of both functional building blocks and flow diagram blocksand sequences are thus within the scope and spirit of the claimedinvention.

One of average skill in the art will also recognize that the functionalbuilding blocks, and other illustrative blocks, modules and componentsherein, can be implemented as illustrated or by discrete components,application specific integrated circuits, processors executingappropriate software and the like or any combination thereof.

Moreover, although described in detail for purposes of clarity andunderstanding by way of the aforementioned embodiments, the presentinvention is not limited to such embodiments. It will be obvious to oneof average skill in the art that various changes and modifications maybe practiced within the spirit and scope of the invention, as limitedonly by the scope of the appended claims.

1. A media distribution server comprising: a distribution module thatdistributes interactive media to a mobile device for review by a user ofthe mobile device; and a user targeting module that: gathers user'sinteractive media retrieval history and responses to specificinteractive media; monitors user habits for the user of the mobiledevice; and determines relevant types of interactive media for the user.2. The media distribution server of claim 1 further comprising: adynamic media development module that receives a generic interactivemedia from a service provider or a content provider; the dynamic mediadevelopment module receives a input from the mobile device andcustomizes the generic interactive media; and the media distributionserver subsequently delivers it to the mobile device for the user. 3.The media distribution server of claim 1 further comprising: a mobiledevice response receiver module that works in conjunction with thedistribution module to interact with the mobile device while the mobiledevice displays a portion of the interactive media to the user.
 4. Themedia distribution server of claim 1 further comprising: the mediadistribution server delivering an XML based document comprising theinteractive media to the mobile device along with a piece of executablecode that is executed on the mobile device selectively after it has beendelivered to the mobile device; and the media distribution servercollects details of user interactions on the mobile device by means ofpiece of executable code that is run on the mobile device, while theinteractive media is being displayed to the user.
 5. The mediadistribution server of claim 1 further comprising: the mediadistribution server gathers responses from the user and communicatesthem to the service provider system associated with a service provideror a content provider system that is associated with the interactivemedia.
 6. The media distribution server of claim 1 further comprising:the media distribution server enabling a service provider systemassociated with the interactive media or a content provider systemassociated with the interactive media to set a calendar event in themobile device, wherein the calendar event is associated with delivery ofthe interactive media, display of the interactive media to user, thecollection of responses provided by the user, a different interactivemedia to be delivered to the mobile device as a followup activity, orthe review of responses collected for the interactive media.
 7. Themedia distribution server of claim 1 further comprising: the mediadistribution server automatically scheduling a task for the user of themobile device in response to a user input received for the interactivemedia delivered to the mobile device, wherein the task is one or more ofa conference call setup, backup of data, an e-mail exchange, an instantmessaging chat, a meeting with an individual, a testing of a service orcontent, the installation of a software, a repair of a service orcontent, a meeting with a service provider's representative, and ameeting with a content provider's representative.
 8. The mediadistribution server of claim 1 further comprising: the mediadistribution server communicates with a content provider system thatdelivers the content to the media distribution server for generation ofthe interactive media for a user of the mobile device, wherein thecontent is one or more of a digital audio music, digital movies, videoclips, news and events related information, documentaries, securityvideos, sports videos, audio books, illustrated digital magazines andadvertisements.
 9. The media distribution server of claim 1 furthercomprising: a schedule manager that facilitates successful delivery ofthe interactive media to the mobile device as per a schedule of deliveryand the retrieval of a response from the mobile device based on aschedule, or based on current network traffic conditions, employing acommunication link available between the mobile device and the mediadistribution server.
 10. The media distribution server of claim 1further comprising: the media distributing server providing to themobile device an interactive media comprising a step-by-stepaudio-assisted instructions or a step-by step video-assistedinstructions for the various steps of a multi-step user selectedactivity, along with descriptions of the various steps and the materialused in those steps, wherein the mobile device can locally save at leastone portion of the interactive media based on user request forsubsequent or repeated presentation to the user of the mobile device.11. The media distribution server of claim 1 wherein the interactivemedia also comprises a configuration information that helps determinewhich advertisement is displayed on the mobile device while theinteractive media is being presented to the user of the mobile device,and when it should be presented.
 12. The media distribution server ofclaim 1 further comprising: the media distribution server receives ageneric content from a service provider system or a content providersystem; and the media distribution server changes, swaps, adds or dropsat least one portion of the generic content to create an customizedinteractive media, based on at least one of a user preferences, mobiledevice configuration, mobile device capabilities and customizationneeds, before it is delivered to the mobile device.
 13. The mediadistribution server of claim 1 wherein the dynamic assembly orgeneration of interactive media that are relevant to a user areinfluenced by user inputs to multiple-choice selections presented to auser in a portion of the interactive media, responses to navigationoptions provided to a user for the interactive media and distributionguidelines provided by the service provider system or content providersystem.
 14. The media distribution server of claim 1 communicatesinteractive media to a browser installed on a personal computer, whereinthe browser presents at least a subset of the interactive media to auser, solicits user interactions, collects user inputs, and communicatesthe user inputs to the media distribution server.
 15. The mediadistribution server of claim 1 further comprises: a storage that is usedto store interactive media, required user profiles desired by entitiesinterested in disseminating the interactive media and actual userprofiles of users to whom the interactive media is distributed.
 16. Amedia distribution server that distributes interactive media to a user,the media distribution server comprising: a distribution module capableof distributing interacting media; a storage for storing the interactivemedia; an interface to facilitate upload of the interactive media by acontent provider system or a service provider system; a websiteassociated with the distribution module to provide access to theinteractive media to a user from a PC communicatively coupled to themedia distribution server, wherein the PC comprises a browser forbrowsing on Internet that is capable of interacting with the website;the website providing the interactive media to the browser in the PCwhen the user of the PC requests the interactive media from the websitevia the browser; the media distribution server facilitates delivery ofthe interactive media to the browser; and the media distribution serverreceives any user input from the browser and processes it while alsocontinuing to facilitate delivery of the interactive media until itterminates or is terminated by a user.
 17. The media distribution serverof claim 16 wherein the media distribution server provides interactivemedia in a structured tagged format that a corresponding mobile clientapplication in a mobile device can process and display interactive mediato a user, wherein the interactive media not only specifies one or moreportions of audio, video, graphics and textual components that need tobe displayed to a user, but also specifies corresponding prompts,multiple-choice selections, and buttons that need to be displayed tosolicit a user inputs, in addition to associated commands that need tobe selectively executed.
 18. The media distribution server of claim 16further comprising: the website of the media distribution serverproviding an interactive media to the browser when requested by a userusing the browser; the website of the media distribution serversimultaneously supporting the delivery of a continuous stream of atleast one portion of the interactive media that is played as it arrivesat the browser, and the receiving of user inputs from the browser inresponse to the interactive media presented to the user; and the mediadistribution server receives a first user response from the browser inthe PC during a review of at least one portion of the interactive mediaby the user, and, in response, communicates a second portion of theinteractive media to the browser in the PC, wherein the second portionis a modified version of the first portion, a continuation to the firstportion, a swapped portion, a next portion, an alternate portion or adifferent portion of the interactive media.
 19. The media distributionserver of claim 16 further comprising: the media distribution serverfacilitating interactive video-sharing employing the website, whereinthe website supports uploading of interactive videos by a plurality ofusers and viewing of the uploaded interactive videos by at least one ofthe plurality of users via the browser in the PC; and the mediadistribution server also facilitating interactive music sharingemploying the website, wherein the website supports uploading ofinteractive music content by the plurality of users and viewing of theuploaded interactive music content by the at least one of the pluralityof users.
 20. A media distribution server that is communicativelycoupled to a mobile device and to a laptop comprising a browser, themedia distribution server comprising: a distribution module thatpresents one or more lists of interactive media or different categoriesof interactive media, when requested; a database of interactive mediathat stores a plurality of interactive media; the media distributionserver facilitates delivery of a selected one of the plurality ofinteractive media to the mobile device or to the laptop of a user; themedia distribution server receives any user input from the mobile deviceor the laptop and processes it while also continuing to facilitatedelivery of the selected one of the plurality of interactive media untilit terminates or is terminated by the user; and the media distributionserver processes the user input and, in response, modifies the selectedone of the plurality of interactive media, enhances it, changes formatsfor it, replaces it, or gathers feedback for it.